The Childrens' Story of the WarBy: James Edward Parrott

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THE CHILDREN'S STORY OF THE WAR

[Illustration]

By Sir Edward Parrott, M.A., LL.D.

THE CHILDREN'S STORY OF THE WAR

Once more we hear the word That sickened earth of old: "No law except the sword Unsheathed and uncontrolled." Once more it knits mankind, Once more the nations go To meet and break and bind A crazed and driven foe.

No easy hopes or lies Shall bring us to our goal, But iron sacrifice Of body, will, and soul. There is but one task for all For each one life to give. Who stands if freedom fall? Who dies if England live?

Rudyard Kipling.

(By kind permission.)

[Illustration: How the Boy Scouts helped.

The war found the Boy Scouts true to their motto, "Be Prepared." In London alone 25,000 Scouts were organised to help the various Government departments by acting as messengers. Along the south and east coasts nearly 3,000 went on duty to guard culverts, telephone and telegraph lines, railway stations, reservoirs, etc. Numbers of Scouts also worked as harvesters in the place of men who had joined the Army. The boys above are "doing their little bit" by carrying soldiers' baggage to the railway station.]

THE CHILDREN'S STORY OF THE WAR

BY SIR EDWARD PARROTT, M.A., LL.D. AUTHOR OF "BRITAIN OVERSEAS," "THE PAGEANT OF ENGLISH LITERATURE," ETC.

From the Beginning of the War to the Landing of the British Army in France

THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, Ltd. LONDON, EDINBURGH, PARIS, AND NEW YORK

THIS STORY OF THE GREAT WAR

recounting for Children the Triumphs of British Valour and Endurance by Land and Sea

is

DEDICATED

by special and gracious permission of Her Majesty the QUEEN

to

H. R. H. PRINCE GEORGE.

CONTENTS.

I. A Bolt from the Blue 1

II. The Seething Whirlpool 16

III. The Beginnings of Prussia 35

IV. The Great War Lord of Europe 49

V. How the Great War Lord Fell 65

VI. The Man of Blood and Iron 74

VII. Clearing the Path 81

VIII. Preparing for War 86

IX. "The Cockpit of Europe" 93

X. A Terrible Struggle 97

XI. France under the Harrow 113

XII. The Boyhood of the Kaiser 121

XIII. Crown Prince and Kaiser 129

XIV. The Dawn of "The Day" 145

XV. Fateful Days 155

XVI. Why Britain went to War 161

XVII. The Submarine that Failed 177

XVIII. Infantry and its Work 186

XIX. Cavalry and Artillery 193

XX. Some Military Terms 209

XXI. The Invasion of Belgium 220

XXII. How Liége won the Legion of Honour 225

XXIII. The Raid into Alsace 241

XXIV. The Germans in Belgium 250

XXV. Deeds of Shame and Horror 257

XXVI. The Rally of the British Empire 273

XXVII. How India answered the Call 289

XXVIII. The German Advance on Brussels 295

XXIX. How the Germans entered Brussels 305

XXX. How the British Army was carried Overseas 310

[Illustration: THE CHILDREN'S STORY OF THE WAR]

CHAPTER I.

A BOLT FROM THE BLUE.

One Sunday afternoon, in the month of December 1908, the beautiful city of Messina[1] was all life and light and gaiety. The sky was blue and cloudless, and out in the Strait the little, crested waves leaped and sparkled in the sunshine. The squares and gardens were thronged with townsfolk in holiday attire; laughing groups of young men and maidens went to and fro or paused to listen to the band; fathers of families were romping with their children on the grass; mothers were quietly knitting hard by: all was merry as a marriage bell... Continue reading book >>